Shem Oirere is a Kenyan journalist who previously worked for daily newspapers as a general news correspondent, business reporter and sub-editor before turning to full-time freelancing. For the more than 20 years, he has covered various sectors of Africa’s economy including agriculture, food processing, and maritime industries. A graduate of the University of South Africa, he has traveled within and outside Africa covering various industry events that have a bearing on the continent’s economy on behalf of different international consumer and trade publications. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
Author Archive
Tanzania has reduced import tariffs on finfish, except tilapia, by 80 percent as the East African country aims to fill a national seafood demand gap of approximately 300,000 metric tons.
Tanzania Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said that the move to reduce import fees from USD 2.50 (EUR 2.20) to USD 0.50 (EUR 0.40) per kilogram should help “stimulate the import of fish for food consumption, as well as increase raw
… Read More
The West African nation of Côte d’Ivoire has agreed to host one of the region's biggest fisheries research and innovation centers in partnership with nonprofit WorldFish.
Under the agreement, Cote d’Ivoire will provide land and USD 3 million (EUR 2.6 million) to finance the construction of the facility, while WorldFish – a Penang, Malaysia-headquartered organization that aims to create resilient and inclusive food systems
… Read More
The state government of Lagos in Nigeria recently announced that construction has begun on the Lagos Aquaculture Center of Excellence (LACE), a NGN 10 billion (USD 6.4 million, EUR 5.6 million) project aiming to boost food security, job creation, and overall seafood output in the West African country.
The LACE project, touted as Nigeria’s biggest aquaculture initiative to date, is a public-private partnership between the Lagos state
… Read More
Somalia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy has published new regulations for controlling and managing the safety and quality of the nation’s fish, value-added products, and fish feed as part of its long-term goal of enhancing seafood traceability and boosting its competitive edge in the global seafood marketplace.
The existing regulatory structure in Somalia has been roundly criticized for its fragmented framework, namely the
… Read More
Santander, Spain-based animal health and wellness company Tejedor Lázaro Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Egypt’s Suez Canal Aquaculture Company (SCAC) to improve the output of the latter firm’s fish- and shrimp-farming operations.
Tejedor Lázaro Group, along with its affiliates the Derwent Group and the Dibaq Group, specializes in animal nutrition, fish farm management, aquafeed manufacturing,
… Read More
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), through its Ocean Stewardship Fund, has provided ZAR 610,000 (USD 34,000 EUR 29,000) to fund three sustainability projects, including the initial phase of South Africa’s first fishing net-recycling initiative, within the country’s hake trawl fishery.
According to the MSC, the funding for the net-recycling effort will provide preliminary support to help the fishery’s stakeholders
… Read More
Emelia Arthur, Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture development minister, has inaugurated a new board of directors for the nation’s Fisheries Commission, paving the way for the West African nation to begin implementing key projects laid out in its fishery management plan.
Arthur was appointed as minister earlier this year and quickly set out to address accusations of high-level corruption in Ghana’s fisheries sector, a lack of
… Read More
Unibio seeking distribution partnerships in Saudi Arabia for its alternative protein feed ingredient
Roskilde, Denmark-based biotechnology firm Unibio is seeking business partnerships with fish feed manufacturers and distributors in Saudi Arabia as it commercializes its alternative protein ingredient, Uniprotein, in the country.
The call for partnerships comes after Uniprotein received the green light from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), which involved a nearly two-year review process, for the commercialization of Uniprotein for use
… Read More
The East African country of Mozambique has taken several steps over the past decade to grow its fishing and aquaculture industries, and data has shown those moves have led to growth, with more expected on the way, according to a new report.
The report from the Malabo Montpellier Panel, a group of international agriculture experts who aim to guide policy changes that ensure food security and improved nutrition in Africa, said that
… Read More